[KLUG Members] Big software package, was: Can anyone say...Boogies?

[Bruce Smith]

> > I'm superstitious about talking about stuff before I get it working. 
> > But now I have enough of the package working, so here goes:
> 
> Ok, when can we put you on the schedule for this.
> Current calendar available, as always, at -
> http://www.kalamazoolinux.org/meetings/schedule.php3

I don't suppose we have access to a TV with a antenna/cable hookup at
the chamber?

> > I'm building my own "Tivo" (DVR), Linux based of course. 
> > The package I'm using is MythTV:  http://www.mythtv.org/
> > I wanted to evaluate the package with the least amount of time and
> > effort, so I'm using pre-built RPM's (as opposed to compiling everything
> > myself).  Since the RPM's are for Redhat/Fedora, my base system is FC1.
> > The packager of the RPM's has very detailed, step by step HOWTO:
> > http://pvrhw.goldfish.org/tiki-page.php?pageName=rh9pvr250  
> > which I've been following to get where I'm at now.
> > I have most things working, except for the IR (remote control), which I
> > haven't attempted yet.
> > This being a work in progress / pre-release software, the experience 
> > was not anything like I expected.  Most of my time has been using and
> > playing with the package, very little problem solving.  The problems I
> > did have were due to the fact I skipped reading parts of the howto.
> > My initial impressions of the software is I am VERY VERY VERY IMPRESSED!
> > It is much more professional looking and acting that I would have ever
> > dreamed!  After the software was installed, I NEVER ONCE started a text
> > editor to configure the software.  All was done via a GUI!  I don't even
> > know where the config is kept!  :-)
> 
> I like the sound of that.  So what hardware does it require?

Well, you need a PC with a ALSA supported full duplex sound card, a lot
of disk space (figure about 1GB per hour of recorded programs), a video
card with a TV out connection, and a TV tuner/capture card.

The speed requirements of the PC are inversely related to the quality of
the TV card.  If you get a cheap ($50) TV card, then you need almost
1Ghz of CPU power per TV card.  If you get a more expensive TV card
($150) with Mpeg2 decoder chip, then you need a lot less CPU power.  Or
if you get the $200 TV card with a Mpeg2 decoder AND encoder chip, then
you need almost no CPU power for recording or watching TV.

And you can add multiple TV cards, so you can record more than one show
at a time, do picture-in-picture, pause live TV while recording, etc.

 - BS